The Pitt basketball program just received some good news, as Omari Witherspoon committed to the Panthers moments ago live on 247Sports YouTube channel. Witherspoon, a 6-foot-4 guard, chose Pitt over other finalists Maryland and Vanderbilt. Overall, Witherspoon held 27 total offers, but he is fresh off an official visit to Pitt, which was enough for him to make a decision.
Ahead of the commitment becoming public, Panther-Lair.com caught up with Pat O’Connor, Witherspoon’s head coach of St. John’s College High School to discuss what kind of player the Panthers are getting.
“Omari will bring exceptional work ethic, unique defensive versatility, and a rapidly evolving offensive game to Pitt,” O’Connor said of his star guard. “He is a team-first guy, and I know he’s eager to work closely with the coaching staff and current players to elevate his performance on both ends of the court.”
The Pitt coaching staff got a feel for Witherspoon as a person on the visit, while the talented three-star guard got a vision for what it would be like to play for Jeff Capel and the Panthers.
“They said they view me as a guard that can really help them as they would put me in a lot of ball screens and have a lot of dribble handoffs for me and just let me play my game,” Witherspoon said in an interview after his official visit. “They want me to get rebounds and push the ball up the floor. Lastly on offense, they really like my playmaking ability as they think I can make good reads off actions.”
After coaching Witherspoon at the high school level, O’Connor sees the principles of Pitt’s style meshing well with his star player.
“Omari understands that the foundation of his success at Pitt will start on the defensive end,” he explained. “Throughout his recruitment, all three of the finalists made it clear how he would fit into their systems. At Pitt, he is excited about the opportunity to prove himself, especially within Coach Capel’s framework, which aligns well with Omari’s strengths.”
O’Connor himself has a good feel for Pitt’s philosophy, as another one of his former players currently stars for the Panthers. Ishmael Leggett, another product out of St. John’s College, excelled under Capel last season and is one of the team's top returning players, making Witherspoon’s decision very informed, if nothing else.
“While it was crucial for the Witherspoon family to make the decision that best suited Omari’s future, Ish’s positive experience at Pitt likely played a meaningful role,” O’Connor said. “That insight helped provide a clearer picture of the program’s culture and overall student-athlete experience at Pitt. Omari is ready to carve his own path, but having someone like Ish as a role model both on and off the court is invaluable.”
Witherspoon becomes the first player in Pitt’s 2025 recruiting class to date. The Panthers have also hosted a number of other top uncommitted prospects for official visits in this cycle including Isaiah Denis, Derek Dixon, Amari Evans, and Meleek Thomas. Four-star wing Davion Hannah is currently slated to visit next month as well.
